Not Another Science Podcast

We are back with a new episode of Not Another Science Podcast! On this episode our podcast hosts Amelie and Tori are joined by Dr Glauco Souza, for an inspiring conversation about his work as the Director of Global Application Development at Greiner Bio-One international. You’ll hear from him about his time as a student at MIT and how he transitioned into his role now, as well as learning about wh...

We are back with a new season of Not Another Science Podcast! On this episode our podcast hosts Amelie and Tori are joined by Dr Rosie Benneyworth, for an inspiring conversation about her work as CEO of the Health Services Safety and Investigations Body (HSSIB). You’ll hear from her about her time as a GP and how she transitioned into her role now, as well as delving into how AI might be used in h...

On season seven, episode three we learn about some amazing research which is at the intersection between chemistry and biology. On this episode our podcast hosts Erin and Emily are joined by Louise Horsfall, for an inspiring conversation about her work as Chair of Sustainable Biotechnology at The University of Edinburgh. You’ll hear from her about her research on using bacteria to recycle metal io...

On season seven, episode two we learn about an industry at the intersection between science, art and history. On this episode our podcast hosts Erin and Emily are joined by Caitlin Hartmann, a tapestry conservation intern at Hampton Court Palace of Historic Royal Palaces. We hear from her about her work in tapestry conservation as well as the science behind textile conservation in general, includi...

We’re kicking off season 7 with an episode on how we can replace microplastics with seaweed! Our new podcast hosts, Emily and Erin, talk to Mark Dorris and Dominic O'Rourke who are Edinburgh-based researchers and founders of the company Mercel.  On this episode we hear about the far-reaching potential of seaweed-derived cellulose and the work Mercel is doing in using this sustainable material to c...

In the Season 6 Finale we talk to Hollywood dinosaur consultant Professor Steve Brusatte for Kelsey and Katie's final episode. Steve talks about the joy of discovering new dinosaur species right here in Scotland, and how he got involved as an advisor for the Jurassic World movie franchise. Get ready for some phenomenal fossil facts and some insider info on the biggest dinosaur blockbusters. You ca...

What did the very first animals look like? Pretty weird, apparently. PhD student Ruaridh Alexander is studying the fossils of the earliest animals to understand how they evolved on the cusp of the Cambrian explosion, a period over 500 million years ago where the diversity of animal life suddenly skyrocketed. Ruaridh tells us about the average day on a dig in the desert finding fossils, how you go...

If you need reminding why maths and statistics are fun and fundamental to all areas of science, look no further! Our guest this episode, Professor Ruth King, uses statistics to understand populations where it’s impossible to count every single individual. She explains how similar mathematical tools can help fill in the blanks regardless of missing data points, across vastly different contexts. Fin...

Scientific research depends on some of the most environmentally destructive practices to ensure high-quality science: single-use plastic, thousands of tonnes of packaging, quick delivery of equipment just to name a few. Many would say manufacturers have a responsibility to try and reduce the impact their products have on the environment but questions remain: do these companies actually care about...

What causes the Northern Lights? Why are they becoming more common in the UK? How can you maximise your chances of seeing them? In this episode, Kelsey and Katie talk to geomagnetism PhD student Frederik Dahl Madsen about all things aurora. Find out why these pretty lights appear in the sky, understand the magnetic science behind the phenomenon, and discover the wonders of space weather. Keep an e...

Queer Data: who decides who counts? Can we accurately count and capture everyone's identities, and do we always need to? Who does it help? And how can methodology for collecting data on LGBTQ+ people be used in other, completely unconnected fields? In this episode we’re joined by Dr Kevin Guyan, a researcher and historian focusing on the intersection of data and identity, to talk about how his...

Are giant pandas really just too lazy to breed?  To kick off season six, new hosts Kelsey and Katie are joined by Dr Kirsten Wilson, who has spent her PhD studying panda reproduction with the aim to unlock the predictive power of their pee.  Marking the departure of the panda pair at Edinburgh Zoo, we delve into the quirky biology of these cute and charismatic bears, and get an insight into why it...

Could artificial intelligence and robotics revolutionise recycling? How do you go about creating a start-up as a student? We talk to Amy (Xiaoyan) Ma, CEO of Danu Robotics and a High Performance Computing MSc graduate from the University of Edinburgh. Danu Robotics’ technology uses artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to identify and sort recyclable material so that waste can be proce...

Cancer treatment in children is clearly vital and lifesaving, but can unintentionally impact the future fertility of cancer survivors. In this episode, Emily Southworth talks to Dr Kathleen Duffin about her research on the provision of fertility preservation services for childhood cancer patients and the different methods that can be used to achieve this important aspect of cancer care. Not Anothe...

Endometriosis can cause debilitating pain beyond what a ‘normal’ period might feel like, caused by tissue that would normally line the womb growing in places it shouldn’t. We talk to Professor Philippa Saunders to find out why endometriosis can take so many years to diagnose, why progress in treatment development has been so slow, and what level of period pain should be investigated by a healthcar...

Why has the development of male contraceptives been so slow in comparison to female methods? Would current female contraceptives pass a modern day clinical trial? Dr John Reynolds-Wright is part of a team in Edinburgh running clinical trials for a gel that reduces sperm count. He gives us a brief history of contraceptive development, digging into the key reasons there has been less attention given...

How strongly tied to the fossil fuel industry is the University of Edinburgh? Where should the responsibility lie in trying to minimise destruction caused by climate change? What role should the university be playing in combating the climate crisis? Elizabeth Simmons, Alys Daniels-Creasey and Sarah Manning are postgraduate Earth Fellows with the Edinburgh Earth Initiative (EEI), conducting researc...

What do you get when you mix musical theatre with antimicrobial resistance -and throw in Alexander Fleming for good measure? To kick off season five of Not Another Science Podcast, we talk to Dr Meghan Perry, an infectious diseases doctor and researcher who embarked on a somewhat unusual scientific adventure to spread the word about the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) through song...

This week, NASP host Alix meets with universe-ready Professor Romeel Davé - computational and theoretical astrophysicist and Chair of Physics from the University of Edinburgh's School of Physics and Astronomy - for a special extended episode. He takes us "Around the Galaxies in 80+ Computer Models" by introducing us to galaxy-creating computer simulations that aim to help the world better understa...

In this week's episode we say a big farewell and thank you to Hannah Muir - our awesome co-host who is moving onto starting her PhD candidacy studying blue carbon (the carbon trapped in the ocean) at the National Oceanography Centre in Swansea University. Travelling through her multidisciplinary life, we learn about the motivations that led Hannah to where she is today in her professional and acad...

This is the moment you've been waiting for since your childhood and probably into your adulthood. Not Another Science Podcast hosts, Hannah and Lili, reveal the answer to the question: "Is there, and has there ever been, life on Mars?" by talking to Ophelia Gunn, PhD student and researcher at the University of Edinburgh's UK Centre for Astrobiology and the School of Physics and Astronomy. Ophelia...

How does the history of trust in scientists play a role in understanding the current ethical and practical dilemmas within communicating science? Join hosts Alix and… well, just Alix this time… as she speaks with Dr. Jan Barfoot about the power of two-way communication in science communication & public engagement. With a background in cancer cell biology, an extensive history communicating com...

What do you get when you cross a passion for knitting, the intricacies of nature’s movements, and the love of engineering robots? In conversation with Ruby Marshall, a PhD student in the Soft Systems Group at the University of Edinburgh, we discover the diverse set of skills that knit together to become the cross section of biomimicry and soft-robotics. Think, taking the motion of a jet-propelled...

Dive into the noisy + wet world of the marine environment with Dr. Lauren McWhinnie and PhD student Emily Hague from Heriot-Watt University. These two are self-professed whale-geeks and researchers on the stressors that humans put on our cetacean friends. Turns out, whales don’t want anything to do with big boats who make annoying acoustics, nor particularly enjoy being entangled in fishing nets,...

We kick off season 4 of Not Another Science Podcast with a mind-blowing conversation about Dr. Ana Rita Pires’ journey in unfolding origami - not the paper kind as we previously thought, but being of the symplectic mathematical manifolds type. Ana Rita is a lecturer at the School of Mathematics at the University of Edinburgh and (in our opinion) - the most recent reason why we love talking about m...